Apparatus for processing grain



Nov. 9, 1937. w. A. SEYMOUR I APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING GRAIN I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fil ed July 3, 1953 INVENTO W/'///'am A. 5

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ATTOR'NEY Nov. 9, 1937. WA. SEYMOUR 2,093,521

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING GRAIN Filed July 3, 1955 :5 Sheets- Sheet 2 INVENTOR W////a/n /I. Seymowr A-r'roNEY Patented Nov; 9, 1931 V l 2,098,521

UNITED STATES PATENT oF lcE I APPARATUS roi rxr mssmecaam r .ZZELIJZZZZTIQihZIIZZZZL.

3 Claims. (01. 83-35) My invention relates to an apparatus for pre- Supported by the side walls of the casing at a paring grains prior to their processing, as in point above the beam! is a feeder l3 through the manufacture of food products, and has for its which grain is delivered onto a riddle from a suitprincipal object to eifectively and efliciently clean able spout, not shown, it being the function of the 5 the grain of foreign matter and remove cracked feeder to change the flow of grain into a thin even 5 rains and the like. stream extending entirely across the width of Other important objects of the invention are the riddles.- to eliminate all milling separators, scourers and In the'illustrated instance, the feeder includes aspirators in preparing the grain. to grade the a hopper shaped trough is having an inclined grains according to their respective weight classibottom l5 p ng r s the o t 16 that is 10 ficatio'ns, to clean, scour and polish the grain by spaced above the inner end of the riddle whereby inducing individual rolling motion of each grain the grain drops through an aspiratlng current of berry under influence of a propelling air stream, air on its way to the shoe. and to eliminate crackage of the grain in the The grain is spread ior even flow down the cleaning, scouring and-polishing process. bottom l5 of the hopper by a movable plate l1 10 It is also an important object of the invention i g its uppe edge fixed o a rod is p ly to reduce the power required to clean a given volmounted in the end walls of the feeder housing. ume of grain and to eliminate rotating parts that so that its lower edge is is adjustably movable crack the grains and which necessitate belt or to and from the bottom l5 to vary the thickness gear drives that consume the power of the prime of the grain stream, as set by a counter-balance mover to operate them. 7 weight 20 adjustably attached to a lever arm 2i In accomplishing these and other objects of flxedtc'an end of the rod IB.

my process, I employ an improved apparatus, the The air drawn through the relatively thin preferred form of which is illustrated in the acstream of gravitating grain is effective in recompanying drawings, wherein: j moving-the chafl, dust and like materials carried 25 Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through therewith and is induced through a vacuum noza combined cleaning, separating, scouring, polzle 22 located directly below the discharge of the ishing and grading machine constructed in acfeeder and which extends across the width of the cordance with my invention. grain stream. The nozzle 22 is connected by an Fi 2'is a cross section on the line 2-2, Fig. l upwardly extending vertical duct 23 with an ex- 30 hrough the rolling aspirator portion 01' the mapension chamber 24 that is supported above the chine, by which chafi, dust, etc., are removed beam 1 in parallel relation with the feeder 13. from the grain stream before the grain passes The expansion chamber is formed by spaced onto the riddle. front and rear walls 25 and 2.6 connected by end 3;, Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section through the walls 21- and 28 and a top wall 29. The bottom 5 lower end of the riddle, the separator and the, wall 30 of the expansion chamber diverges downupper part of the polisher, particularly illustrat- War'dly toward the opposite walls 21 and 28 to ing the passage of a grain stream therethrough in guide material that may settle in the chamber into a tortuous path. ofl-take chutes 2i and 32' extending downwardly 40 Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view atfthe respective sides of the machine, as best 40 through a port on of the scourer. illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail cross sectional view on the he duct 28 discharges into the expansion line 5-5, Fig. 1, particularly illustrating the grain chamber through an elongated Op 33 located outlet frcm the first grader. v a just below the top 29 and the air stream is spread I V Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view through the a ross the width of the expan ion ch r by a 45 I scourer on the line 6-6, Fig. 1. plate 21 having its lower edge terminating below Referring more in detail. to the drawings: e lower d e f h p g i designates the casing of the machine which The expansion'of the air in the chamber reincludes spaced side walls 2 and 3, and end walls duces the velocity thereoi' to cause the heavier 4 and ii, the side walls being connected by cross materials drawn from the grain stream to gravibeams 6, I and 8. Spaced below the crossbeams tate to the bottom of the chamberfor discharge at the end of the casing adjacent the wall is a through the chutes 3| and 32, but the light matehorizontal deck 9 forming a support for a primerials which cannot be settled are carried away I mover I 0 and grader and vacuum fans I I and I2, with the air stream through an outlet 35 formed in 55 respectively. the. upper-portion of the wall 25, and into a vacuum trunking later described.

The grader and vacuum fans II and II include housings 31 and 38 respectively having axial inlets 39 and 40 and tangential discharge outlets 4i and 42 connected by branch ducts l3 and M with a common discharge duct 45 through which the materials that are too light to be settled in the machine are discharged to a suitable dust collector,.not shown. The fans II and I! are of the radial blade type and have their hubs l8 and mounted on the respective ends of the armature shaft 48 of the motor M, as illustrated in Fig. 1, so that the motor I0 drives both of the ans.

The amount of air drawn through the aspirator nozzle by the fan I! is controlled by a damper 49 lIo.cated adjacent the discharge outlet of the duct The riddle 50 is for the purpose of removing foreign material that is either larger or smaller than the grain being cleaned, and includes a rectangular frame conforming in shape to the space between the beams 1 and I and the side walls of the casing and includes end plates 5i and 52 connected by downwardly inclined side plates 53 carryingan inclined bottom It terminating short of the end plate 52 to provide an outlet opening to a pit 56.

The bottom 54 also includes an outlet spout 51 leading to the separator portion of the machine later described. Supported in the riddle frame and inclined downwardly therein is an upper scalping screen I and a lower sand screen 89, the scalping screen 58 having a suitable sizemes'h to permit passage of the grain delivered to the machine, but the sand screen I! is of smaller mesh so that the grain passes to the spout 61 for delivery to the separating, polishing and scouring portions ofthe machine.

It is, therefore apparent that the foreign grains,

rocks, sticks, and any materials too large to pass through the scalplng' screen will gravitate over the screen for passage throughan outlet opening in the end well i of the casing for discharge from the machine through a scalping boot ll.

'The grains andforeign material smaller in size than the 'mesh of the scalping screen'will drop therethrough onto the sand screen. The grains and other materials of larger diameter than the openings in the sand screen will vitate down the upper surface thereof ,and' harge' into the outlet spout '1, but the carried with the grain will pass through the sand screen and be discharged into the pit ll from which they will be carried oil by means of a lateral spout II communicating withtlle oil-take chutes Ii and 82, previously described.

In order to -assist separation of the diflerent materials by the respective screens, I provide means for automatically vibrating the riddle, as

' now to be described.

The rear. orlower end of theriddle frame is pivotally supported by bearings 88 attached to the end wall 82 and mounted on a cross shaft N. having its vends supported by the sides of the cas ing 1 and I. The opposite or upper end of the shoe is'supported by springs 05 and 80 having their upper'ends bearing against a horizontal plate 81 connecting the end wall ll with the bottom B4 of the frame, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

' The lower ends ofhthe springs GI and II are supported by tensioning screws II and H adjustably. mounted in brackets is and "I3 fixed to the inner side walls of the casing at points in line with s,oos ',s21 'downturned conduit 3 discharging into the main the upper end of the riddle frame as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, so that the tension and vibratory frequency of the springs may be regulated to that best suited to keep the sand screen clear and to move the scalp toward the outlet 60.

In order to actuate the riddle on the springs and 68, I provide a turbine type fan I4 carried in axial alignment with the inlet-to the vacuum fan l2, Fig. 1, and which is automatically operated by movement of the air drawn into the fan housing through a vertical duct 15 from polishing and separating chambers later described.

The turbine fan 14 is fixed to a shaft 16 rotatably mounted in spaced anti-friction bearings 11 carried on a cross beam 18 extending between the side walls 2 and 3 at a point below the beam 1.

v Theopposite end of the shaft 18 carries an eccentric is mounting an eccentric yoke Bil that is connected by a-flexible link or pitman 8| with a yoke 83 projecting from the lower face of the plate 61.

In the illustrated instance, the eccentric I! is 7 approximately of an inch ofl center, so that the eccentric yoke has a travel of approximately sharpiar is imparted to the riddle at the end i of the upper and lower strokes oiflthe eccentric.

This is very important as it produces a peculiar wave or ripple like motionin the movement of the riddle that greatly assists in the separation of the materials carried in the grain stream. .The grain, therefore, moves down the scalping screen by a series of slight hops to produce a uniform travel and to assure that all of the materials capable of being separated by the screens are eliminated from the grain stream.

.In order to prevent sticks-oats, elongated weed joints and the like from up-ending and passing through the scalping' screen along with the grain stream. I provide a curtain having a smooth surface Ill positioned so that its lower end bears loosely on the scalping screen and its opposite end is s'upportedin spaced relation therewith by means of a rod it having its ends mounted in the side frame members 83 of the riddle frame; The curtain thus bears on the screen and tends to retain the sticks and other materials in sliding parallel contact with the screen, so that they are discharged to the scalping boot I.

The grain and materials too large to drop through the sand screen 59 will be discharged through the spout 51 across the pathof an air stream created by the vacuum fan and which is admitted to the casing through an opening 82 formed -in the end. wall 5 ata point above the separator portion of the machine: now to be described.

I 5' This portion ofthe machine is best illustrated in Fig. 3 and includes an arrangement of baffles and air controls so that the grain is moved in a tortuous path under influence of air'draw through the opening 92 by the vacuum. fan I2, the air travelling in the same direction as the stream by the individual berries to become en-' grain and pressing the grain against the supporting surfaces to eflect a retarding action be-- neath and a propelling action above the grain stream that promotes rolling of the berries during their travel through the apparatus.

This sinusoidal movement of the grain induces individual rolling motion to each grain berry'and every particle of foreign matter carried therewith whereby foreign materials are caused to be removed from the grain stream due to differential rolling characteristics of the respective shapes of the different materials.

For example, the grains, being of the same respective shape, will have the same rolling characteristics and are driven at the same relative rate of speed through the separator.' But the foreign materials that are of different shape have different rolling characteristics and, therefore, cannot roll at the same speed or in the same straightaway direction through the sep-' arator as do the individual grain berries. Consequently, they will be crowded out of the grain trapped in pockets provided to receive them. This individual rolling movement of the grain also performs the more important-function of tending to remove foreign material clinging to the surface of the grain berries.

The separator mechanism is carried between the downwardly inclined bottom 93 of the pit 56 and a similarly inclined plate 94 spaced therefrom-and in which is interposed a series 0! grain traps 95, there being two in thepresent illustrated instance.

Each grain trap includes spaced arcuate plates 96 and 91 having their ends supported by the side walls 2 and 3 of. the casing I and their upper and lower edges spaced apart in the same horizontal planes, as shown. Rotatably mounted between the plates is a rotary type valve 93 having lateral arms 99 and IIIII forming a series of V-shaped pockets IIH therebetween ccopera tive with the upper edges I02 and I03 of the arcuate plates to form pockets for abody of the grain being delivered through the machine, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3.

The-upper edges I02 of the arcuate plates 96 terminate in upwardly and laterally inclined plate portions I04 having downwardly inclined lips I05 extending parallel with the inclined walls 93 and 94,,the upper edge of the arcuate. plate 91 for the first stage being connected to the wall 94 and the similar plate of the second stage is connected to the arcuate plate 98 of the first stage by a vertical plate portion I06 which cooperates with a downwardly extending diaphragm I01 to form a throat I08through which the grain stream is discharged from the first stage into the second under influence of the air stream drawn throughthe opening 92.

In order to control the P s age of the air stream and retain it in close contact with the surface of the grain retained in the pocket "SI of the first separator trap, I provide a damper plate I09 having its upper end fixed to a rod lIii that is pivotally mounted in the side walls of the separator adjacent the discharge chute of the scalping shoe, whereby the lower end of the plate is swingingly adjustable relatively to the inclined plate IN to control the eflective opening therebetween and thereby regulate the velocity of the air passing through the separator.

As the grain stream gravitates from the spout of the scalping shoe, it will first fill the pocket of the first separator. As the grain builds up in the pocket, it will come in contact'with the air stream passing thereover and the grain will be rolled out 01' the pocket, up the vertically inclined plate I 04 and down the lip I05 onto the diaphragm plate I01.

As the grain is rolled by the air stream across the material carried in the pocket III I, the slower rolling materials and grains having diflerent rollin'g characteristics than the grain being cleaned will be crowded into'the material carried in the pocket. This includes all foreign materials of substantially the same size as the grain being cleaned.

The grain will then gravitate under influence of the air stream down the diaphragm plate for discharge through the throat I08 where the grain is rolled across the material trapped in the pocket of the second separator to entrap foreign materials that may have passed the first separator. The air continues to roll the grain across the second pocket, up the inclined plate I04 and over the lip I05 of that stage from where it is discharged into the scouring chamber, later de; scribed.

As above mentioned, this portion of the machine not only serves as a separator, but the rolling contact of the grain berries with each other loosens surface materials therefrom, which are carried away by the faster moving air stream after passing the diaphragm I01.

When the pockets become filled with entrapped foreign materials, the valves 98 are moved to bring another pocket into position to receive and trap theforeign materials. from the grain. As the full pockets are moved across the lower edges 'of the arcuate plates 96 and 91, theentrapped foreign materials will be gravitated onto an inclined bottom I I2 and discharged, from the lip through a chute H3; i

Arrangement of the edges of the valve blades 99 and I0!) in sealing contact with the arcuate plates 96 and 91 prevents air from being drawn through the discharge spout I I3 that might cause the entrapped materials carried in the pockets to be drawn back into the machine at the time they are being dumped, and avoids necessity for shut down of the machine during the dumping operation.

The tortuous scouring members including a plurality of vertical, horizontally spaced series of angle members IIQ, each including downwardly diverging plates H5 and H6 covered by a screen material, II1 adapted for scouring and polishing grain berries passed thereover the members I I 4 meme horizontal row of members being staggered with respect to the members in the next adjacent lower row so that when the grain strikes angle members II4 are supported insets of three on bars H8 and are positioned between cross plates IIS and 9' having their upper ends con- I nected to the downwardly sloping walls 83 and 94 of. the scouring chamber, as best illustrated in Fig. 1.

Mounted below the outlet of the scouring chamher is an inclined polishing chamber I20 formed by upper and lower downwa dly inclined plates I 2| and I22 carried by the side walls of the'casing, the upper plate I2I terminating short of the lower plate I22 which extends to the lower edge of the side walls, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The upper surface of the lower plate is covered with an abrasive material, having sufflcient coarseness to prevent the grain from sliding, but induces it to roll under influence of the air stream.

. From the polishing chamber, the grain gravitates into a grading chamber I23 hereinafter described.

The vacuum fan I2 is of a capacity to generate a suflicient amount of vacuum to pull the wheat through the separator, scouringand polishing portions of the machine and through the duct 15 which has its lower end communicating with the lower end of the lishing chamber in such a manner that the drawn upwardly and retractively over the terminus of the plate I2I so that it does not have a tendency to carry the grain therewith.

However, all the dust and crease dirt removed in the securing and polishing chambers will be carried by the 'air and discharged through the branch 44 into the duct 45,-prevlously described. Upon leaving the polishing floor I22, the grain moves into an expansion valve chamber and across the downwardly extending plate I24 and banks between a fixed lip i2! and a pivoted expansion valve I24, which is normally closed by suction of the fan I2.

When a sufllcient weight of-grain has accumulated in the expansion chamber to overcome the suction of the valve, the valve will open under ,7

the weight of the grain, whichwill. then gravitate onto a second downwardlyinclined plate I22. As the grain gravitatesfrom the plate I22 onto a grader tip I22,;the air stream is'drawn through the grain to remove the lighter particles.

expansion chamber I24 is formed below the sub deck 9 and is of large enough capacltyitoireduee the velocity of the air and permit material to drop into the hopper-shaped bottom I35 thereof, where it is through an off-take chute I22 extending through the] side 2 of the casing. The grain stream, upon beinl relieved of the cheat, weed seeds, etc.. gravitates from the grader .tip I22 onto a'.secon'd inclined plate I21 from where it gravitates onto a},

second grader tip I.

As the grain is moving from. the'plate' I il'a'f second stream of air is therethrough to remove the next heavier-s'tock, such as. the shriveled grains, which are drawn bythe air upwardly through a second vertical conduit, III

for discharge into a second expansionchamber I 40 from between the partition I32 and the end wall 4 of the casing, where the removed material gravitates into the hopper bottom I and out" through an oil-take chute ,I42. Thegrain then passes oi! through a throat I42 and is discharged from the machine. v

The air, upon in the. expansion chamber m is drawn'through a duct I44'to the inlet'of thegraderfan II which discharges it from the machine.

The air in the expansion chamber III is re -v -moved from the machine through a duct I45 connected with the inlet to the fan II, the ducts upon leaving the grain is aooasar I44 and I4! being controlled by suitable valves I46 and i 41, respectively.

The outlets from the chutes I36 and I42 are controlled by swinging dampers I48 and I49 a1- ternately opened by the weight of the materials ,to deliver the separated materials from the machine and to seal the ducts against the entrance of, air therethrough.

In operating a machine in accordance with my improved method, the grain is delivered to the feeder I3 and the weight 20 is adjusted to retain the plate in the required position to distribute grain onto the scalping shoe.

The motor III is then energized to start operation of the vacuum and grader fans. As soon as the fans start operation, a stream of air is drawn from the inlet 92 through the tortuous separator section, through the scouring section chamber,

, through the polishing chamber, ducts 15,, and turbine fan I4, tothe inlet 40 of the vacuum fan, the air stream being discharged through the branch duct 44 to the duct 45 leading to a suitable dust collector. I

Simultaneously, a second air stream is drawn through the grain gravitating from the feeder,

' through the vacuum nozzle 22, settling chamber 24, duct 36, through the turbine fan and inlet 40 to the fan I2.

As the grain drops from the outlet of the feeder onto the scalping shoe, dust, chaff, and other like materials are removed from the grain stream by the air passing thBIBthI'OLlQH- The air upon entering the settling chamber expands to permit the heavier material to settle in the chamber for discharge through the spouts II and 82, the valves I4I'and I40 responding to volumetric flowof grain from the chutes so as to maintain the chutes sealed to the inlet of air. The grain andheavy foreign matter will drop onto the. scalping screen which is being vibrated. by the turbine fan I4 which is operated by the air stream drawn-through the duct II by the vacuum fan I2.

Upon engaging the screen, the grain and small particles of foreign matter p'ass therethroush onto the sand screen, but the sticks, rocks and foreign matter, too large togo through the scalpingscreen, will, be gravitated down the screen :for discharge through the scalping boot OI.

'rectly therethrough into the hopper I! and be,

ls ei'ged through the' ducts 22.

The grain,iinciuding the matter too large'to pass throughthesand screen will gravitate through the spout 1 into the first stage of the separator to an the pocket III, thereby forming a trap to retain foreign matter having different rolling characteristics' than that of the -ii'rain. The valve plate I" is adjusted to control the velocit'yof air through the separator and, consequently, control the rolling action of the grain;

than'thegrain will be trampled by the rolling grain into the graincarried in the pocket. For

example, particles of stoneftacks, particles of metal, and other objects having shapes otherthan. that of the grain will have different rolling properties and willroll-in diflerent directions or at different speedsthan the grain, so that the forterialshaving different rolling characteristics 7' of the scourer.

eign objects, whatever they may be, will be trampled into and trapped by the grain remaining in the pockets. The grain will continue to roll up the inclined plate I04 and down the lip I05 under influence of the air stream passing to the valve plate I09. The grain will then be discharged under the force of the air stream against the diaphragm I01, the impact thereof loosening the dirt on the surface of the grain. The grain then gravitates down the diaphragm anddrops through the throat I08 into the second stage of the separator. The grain continues its rolling motion across the surface of the grain trapped in the pocket of the second separator to roll out any foreign material that may be carried over from the pocket of the first stage. The grain then rolls over the inclined plate and lip of the second stage and is discharged into the scour.

The grain dropping onto the upper row of baille plates H4 and II! is divided and rolled over the scouring screens covering the plates, the screens loosening the fibrous matter and. fuzz which covers the grain berry. The individual streams divided by the upper row of plates are directed onto the next lower row and so on to the bottom Each stream of grain, therefore, moves in vertical tortuous paths, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 6.

The grain berries, on being discharged from the scouring portion of the machine, drop onto the polishing floor I22 over the abrasive material which prevents the grain from sliding and keeps it in rolling motion.

By the time the berries have reached the end qir heipolishing floor, fuzz and other material have been moved from the surface of the grain berries and clean, polished grain berries are delivered into the expansion valve I20.

All the dust and crease dirt, including thenbrous materiaL-are carried away by the air stream and discharged through-the conduit 15, branch conduit 44, and duct 45.

When a sufllcient amount of grain is collected above the expansion valve I26, the valve is cracked open against air pressure acting to retain it closed, and the stream of clean grain drops from the plate I20 onto a grader tip I29. Air is then drawn through the grain stream to remove stock of lighter weight than that which is to be delivered to the processing machinery.

The light grain removed from that desired for processing is drawn through the vertical duct I and through the expansion chamber I34 of the first grader when the velocity .of the air is reduced because of increased capacity of the chamber to permit the light stuif to settle in the hopper I35. Dust and air then pass from the expansion chamber through the duct. I44 and out the duct 4| under influence of the grader fan II.

The velocity of the air, and consequently the grade of the material delivered into the first grader is adjusted by the air control valve I40.

As the grain' stream drops across the lower grader tips Ill and I38, air is drawn between the plate I20 and the plate I31 to remove a second heavier stock through the duct I into the ex- 70 the discharge duct 44, the velocity of the air being controlled by the air control valve I41 to grade the stock delivered into the hopper I40.

The stock removed through the first and second graders will drop through the respective chutes I36 and I42 past the expansion valves I48 and I49 which retain the discharge openings of the chutes closed against the grain stream to prevent air from being drawn retractively therethrcugh.

From time to time, the valves in the separator stages will be rotated to dump the material that has been trapped in the pockets.

From the foregoing description, it is obvious that I have provided a method of preparing grain for processing which is carried out in a single machine having no rotating parts in actual con- I tact with the grain, since the entire preparation is carried on by the action of air. Iam, therefore, enabled to eliminate crackage of the grain and can operate with less horse-power, as no energy is consumed in driving belts, gears, and the like that are necessary in present methods.

By propelling as well as cleaning the grain with air I eliminate cracking of the grain incident to beating of the grain with mechanical apparatus, and save the energy required for driving such apparatus.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus of the character described including a support for a travelling stream of grain, a vibrator adapted for delivering grain onto said support, means for inducing a stream of air over the support in the direction'of travel of the grain stream, means for confining the air stream in tangential pressing contact with said grain stream to effect rolling action of the grain particles in response to thrust of said particles against the support by the air stream and propulsion of said particles in response to said tangential contact of the air stream with said particles.

2. Apparatus of the character described including a support for a travelling stream of grain, a vibrator adapted for delivering grain onto said support, means for inducing a stream of air over the support in the direction of travel of the grain stream, means for confining the air stream in tangential pressing contact with said grain stream to eifect rolling action of the grain particles in response to thrust of said particles against the support by the air stream and propulsion of said' particles in response to said tangential contact of the air stream with said particles, and means located in and actuated by the air stream for actuating the vibrator.

3. Apparatus of the character described including a support for a travelling stream of grain, a vibrator adapted fordelivering grain onto said support, means for inducing a stream of air over the support in the direction of travel of the grain stream, means for confining the air stream to effect rolling action of the grain particles in ,response to thrust of said particles against the support by the air stream and propulsion of said particles in responseto tangential contact of the air stream with said particles, a turbine located in and operable by the air stream, and means operatively connecting the turbine with said vibrator.

' WILLIAM A. SEYMOUR. 

